The relief belonged to the funerary monument to Anne Marie Martinozzi, princesse de Conti (d. 1672), in the Church of Saint-André-des-Arts, Paris. An engraving of the monument shows that the figure embodied three religious virtues: Charity (flaming heart), Hope (anchor), and Faith (block under the figure's right foot). In 1793, the monument was dismantled and removed to the Musée des Monuments Français. In 1809 the relief was placed in the park of the Empress Josephine's estate, Malmaison. At that time, the attributes were reworked. The anchor on the figure's left was transformed into a piece of drapery and the flaming heart in the left hand into a poppy, symbol of sleep.

Provenance

Church of Saint-André-des-Arts, Paris (ca. 1675–1793) ; Musée des Monuments Français , Paris (1793–1807) ; Joséphine de Beauharnais , Château de Malmaison (1807–d. 1814) ; her son, Prince Eugène de Beauharnais, Herzog von Leuchtenberg (from 1814, sold with château, where it remained until ca. 1877) ; bought back by Charles-Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte (1861–70) ; confiscated by the state, The Government of France (in 1870; sold ca.1877) ; a succession of ownerships in Private Collection, France , who left it on deposit at Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris; exhibited at the Palais de l'Industrie, Paris (1884–90); Parent family (1890–ca. 1909) ; Georges Bernard (ca. 1909–37) ; [ Balay and Carré , Paris, until 1939; sold to MMA ]